3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Congratulations, you have opened this thread!

Could also be called CocoLoco, or whatever triggers your perfume imagination as long as there is some room for Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel, cocoa, chocolate, coconuts, a Hong Kong Basenoter with the dancing (erm, well, now it is not dancing, pity!) bunny on the avatar, or Coco fragrance by Chanel. And some arrangements for the daily allowance of crazyness best described as Cuckoo or Loco, just a little bit.

Three identical samples of fragrances marked A, B and C representing niche, designer and mass market categories and somehow united by the above theme were sent to three Basenoters (3x3 part). Nobody except me and Miss Taolady knows what's in the vials. Each of the designated sniffers will post their sniffing impressions:
-- general likes/dislikes;
-- family (fresh, oriental, floral, fougere, etc);
-- particular notes;
-- fragrance development;
-- sillage;
-- longevity;
-- color and viscosity of the liquid;
-- what it reminds them of; and these are just suggestions!

Every reader may ask questions right here on the thread fishing for clues as to the identity of the fragrances. If there is something I feel connected with the contents of the vials, I will comment. The more clues there are here, the easier it is for everybody to attain the goal -- to identify each fragrance. If you think you know what we are all sniffing but not very sure and want to avoid embarrassment, please send me a PM. If you are absolutely positive, go ahead and post here. There are no prizes involved.

More Rounds will follow according to the following schedule (of course we all know that despite our good will life brings its corrections):

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Mikeperez,...LIB... are you ready?
How would you two like to proceed?
Shall we stick to Sample A until we guess it, then move on to Sample B and Sample C?
Or should we dig in and try to figure out the similarities and connections between them all?
I'm up for suggestions.
Please post, and when we agree, we can start guessing.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

First of all, thanks again to TWolf for picking up this lovely&informative project again and for sending out the first batch of smellies!
Ready...go! It is almost 10 pm over here
I guess we will have to tackle the different time zones, so I'll be zonking out when my collegues-in-blind-sniff mikeperez and purplebird will be starting the REAL thing

SAMPLE A
Colour: clear
Not very oily, does evaporate fairly quickly on skin, so I'll say EdT

From the vial, the impression was biiiig fruit.
On skin, it starts with a huge sweet pineapple, then joined by some red fruit - maybe strawberry? For an instant, it calls to my mind the infamous (apologies to those who love it) Miss Dior Chérie: but it's not a lasting thought.
The pineapple hums in the background, the atmosphere is that of a tropical landscape, enter more fruit . Mango? Or peach? Then....pear! Pear it is to my nose for a couple of minutes, a little plasticky.
It calms down rather quickly, smelling like pineapple cream with a little almondy facet (heliotrope?). On this first wearing, I wasn't able to detect floral notes, but I'm sure there must be!

The imagery in my head is me, stretched out under a palm tree on the beach of Bloody Bay (that's the actual name) in Jamaica, sipping a fruity rum punch from a tall icy glass.

Needless to say, I am curious to read m's and p's thoughts!

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Sniffing aroundI'll stop wearing black when they make something darker

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

It is fruity, you got it right! The manufacturer's Website lists wild strawberry as one of the top notes.

What keeps it grounded? Woods, musk, grasses, patchouli, animalic elements? Or, is it just a fruit bowl with nothing else going on? What in your opinion created that "plasticky" effect? Have you ever encountered anything else with the similar note?

Why do you think I picked A for this round? Any Chanel-aide (Polge-aide) in it? Or, is it because of other reasons?

BTW, I have already got a PM guessing the identity of this fragrance. Incorrectly, but still...

How about the throw and the longevity? Cloying in the end? Too sweet? Reasonably pleasant? Piquantly unpleasant? Naughty? Boring?

Any ideas about the timeframe it was released? Like, typically (sweet) 70-s fruit is different from typically (posh) 80-s fruit and a total different story from the, say, typical (naturalistic yet watery) pineapples of the 90-s. Speaking of which -- pineapples -- what are the other scents you know your pineapples from? Jean Patou Colony? Sonia Rykiel orange pullover? L'Artisan Ananas Fizz?

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Okay, I'm with you LIB. This is pure strawberries and cream to me.
Maybe raspberries, but strawberry was my first impression.
It is my opinion that this is the mass-marketed scent because it reminds me of something from one of those Body Shop type of stores rather than a more sophisitcated composition.
In fact, the only perfume that I can call to mind that even remotely smells like this is Ed Hardy, which was strawberries and cream to me, but also some florals.
This one is simpler. But if I had to guess a name besides that, I would be at a loss.
Now, if I have to guess something that has to do with the theme of Cuckoo for Coco, the only commonality I can find is perhaps coconut.Twolf, please do not comment on my guesses until mikeperez weighs in.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

((putting boxing gloves on))

Ok, I'm ready to throw down! Woo-hoo!

-- This is intensely fruity, in a very feminine way. I can't imagine ever wearing this, but I still like it and I think it smells like something a young girl might want to smell like.
-- I think it belongs in the oriental category, maybe a fruity oriental?
-- I smell chocolate/patchouli (kinda like Angel Innocent), something like a light tea accord (very lightly), Apricot-peach-nectarine kind of accord, and something that smells 'waxy' about the whole scent (you know like when you smell a fruity scented candle [unlit] and it combines the sharp fruit notes with the smell of the actual candle wax itself - that smell).
-- I'm gonna have to reapply it - I wore it to bed last night so of course I couldn't chart the development of it because I was asleep when it dried down
-- I have no idea about the sillage and longevity - if I had to guess, I'd say it's average
-- The juice is very clear, almost transparent and came across as an EdT in strength
-- Reminds me a LOT of Angel Innocent (or Angel itself, for that matter) and perhaps something by Escada (those TropicalSunsetGrafittiSparkleMoon things they put out - that line is so confusing). Maybe Ralph Wild by Ralph Lauren?

In response to TWolf, L_I_B and purplebird:

-- I don't think it's Ed Hardy for Women is it TWolf? I thought that had mango in the top notes, and I don't smell mango in A. But then again, L_I_B smelled mango...so maybe it is EHFW.
-- Like L__I_B I smell almost no florals in this.
-- The connection to 'Cuckoo for Coco'? I have NO idea!?
-- It is pleasant and not necessarily sexy. It is not that sweet, at least to me (mind you, my husband wears Pulp which has a HUGE, sweet peach note - so maybe my sweet fruit threshold is higher than others). But the fruit in A is very strong.
-- I agree with purplebird - while smelling A I thought to myself, this is probably something that Bath & Body Works makes. Inoffensive. Something designed to SELL to LOT'S OF WOMEN.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Chocolate/patchouli you said? I smell them too, although they are NOT listed as official notes. What type of patchouli? Dry or earthy mossy headshop variety on you, Mike?

In response to purplebird7: there are multitudes of scents on the market using simple compositions (Demeter, CSP, Fresh, GAP, even Prescriptives scents) How would you evaluate the quality of ingredients in Sample A?

Neither of the scents nor houses mentioned are responsible for Sample A, although I see strong resemblance with both Thierry Mugler Angel and Angel Innocent as well as Prada Tendre ( to LIB), Calvin Klein Euphoria and even Chanel Coromandel (of course with juicy fruit overdose).

Personally, I do not recognize strawberry in Scent A, although I have mentioned that the manufacturer discloses it on their Website. It is more of an abstract juicy fruit bowl on my skin rather than strawberries, raspberries, pineapples or peaches. Well, I have hard time identifying strawberries in Neil Morris Woodland Strawberries and Givenchy Amarige Extravagance for this matter.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Originally Posted by Twolf

Chocolate/patchouli you said? I smell them too, although they are NOT listed as official notes. What type of patchouli? Dry or earthy mossy headshop variety on you, Mike?...

Not headshop patchouli. I cannot smell patchouli directly, but you can recognize its signature tenacity in the drydown. Kind of like the patchouli in White Patchouli by Tom Ford. All the heft associated with patchouli, but none of its sharp malodorous qualities.

I think some of the readers need to chime in with some suggestions at this point.

I'm wearing A for the second time this evening, and I can't squeeze much more out of it than I already have.

I tried spraying Ray's arm for help (yes, I decanted the vial into an atomizer - I prefer spraying on samples...I know I'm a sprayer snob ) and he said it smelled like 'cherry cough syrup' and walked out of the room to wash it off. Well, that was no help at all. (sigh)

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Chocolate? Patchouli? I envy your nose....as hard as I try, I cannot detect any choc and/or patch! Actually, I didn't smell any distinct anchoring notes, as if the scent didn't have basenotes. The fruity notes just became fainter and fainter. If pressed, I'd say very light sandalwood+musk.
Cold it be that a strawberry+mixed fruit+coconut accord led me to believe I smelled pineapple...which I still smell, BTW?
As for type and quality, I'd say it is mostly synthetic, due to the fruity notes...and agree that this could be the mass market fragrance with great appeal for the very young. Personally, I don't think I would wear it .

I guess the throw is very strong at the start, but as I said, it calms down rather quickly. The lasting power wasn't great on my skin yesterday, 2/3 hours at most.

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Sniffing aroundI'll stop wearing black when they make something darker

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

LIB and Mike, you are so right so far! Scent A was chosen for Round 1 because of that "phantom" chocolate note-- it appears and disappears there mixed with the fruity elements without any warning sign, isn't it crazy? There is musk in it too, but mostly of artificial variety as you guys have noticed. I do not get any cherry cough syrup or sandalwood either.

I also do agree that spraying is better and that it has been launched to appeal to the wide masses, hence its packaging and its price range.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Originally Posted by Twolf

In response to purplebird7: there are multitudes of scents on the market using simple compositions (Demeter, CSP, Fresh, GAP, even Prescriptives scents) How would you evaluate the quality of ingredients in Sample A?

Uber-synthetic. Inexpensive. Not actually unpleasant, but focused and sharp. This is fruit that screams "fruit!"
Honestly, being a patchouli addict, I am surprised not to smell any in here. Nor chocolate. You might convince me that white chocolate is causing the creaminess, but there is no dark cocoa.
Twolf, you made no reply to my guess of coconut as the connection to the theme. So now I will guess that cocoa is the connection.
Right or wrong on either guess?

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Let's try some marketing.....I wouldn't pay more than 25 $ Sample A and if I were to choose, I would package it in a fancy but unexpensive bottle with a pink and orange wave pattern on the box. Either this, or something very simple like the Demeter Pick Me Up sprays...which leads me to think it might be one of their cocktail-inspired scents

I guess that it's fairly recent, too.

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Sniffing aroundI'll stop wearing black when they make something darker

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Originally Posted by purplebird7

Honestly, being a patchouli addict, I am surprised not to smell any in here. Nor chocolate. You might convince me that white chocolate is causing the creaminess, but there is no dark cocoa.
Twolf, you made no reply to my guess of coconut as the connection to the theme. So now I will guess that cocoa is the connection.

Wrong on all three guesses. There is no cocoa, coconuts or chocolate in it as per the notes (they are wild strawberries, peaches and vanilla), just once in a while I get a whiff (referred to as 'phantom" in my previous reply) of patchouli and chocolate. That is the reason A has been selected to be in this round.

LIB, it is even lower concentration than EdT, it is Body Spray. I paid less than $25 for the bottle. And you are sort of right about the packaging: it is a fancy (plastic!) bottle only a pattern on it is done in a different color.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Originally Posted by Twolf

LIB, it is even lower concentration than EdT, it is Body Spray. I paid less than $25 for the bottle. And you are sort of right about the packaging: it is a fancy (plastic!) bottle only a pattern on it is done in a different color.

It is very recent.

Mmm, all my guess work would be wrong...for a while I thought it would be Pleasures Delight.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

I'll ask for a direct hint!!! Ok, so it's mass market, less than 25$, in a plastic bottle (and no pineapple note )....is it an US house? If the answer is yes, I have no chance of guessing it right, since I have virtually no knowledge of those products
If it's not, is it something from TBS?

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Sniffing aroundI'll stop wearing black when they make something darker

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

It is a lot less than $25 a bottle. How about around $0.92 per ounce?

It is a US mass market, a drugstore staple, the house with a French name and a wide selection of body sprays. The house itself is in the BN Directory, but not its newest offerings (this one plus four or five more was introduced for the Valentine's Day in 2009).

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

You got it, Buni! See, sometimes living in an earlier time zone has its advantages. And of course, it is YOUR day today. Happy birthday!

Black bottle, yellow swirls, Longest Lasting Body Spray they say. Not bad at all in my book, and first I wanted Va Va Voom to be Sample A just because of chocolate rum note they specified. But no matter how hard I tired I did not feel it there. That Coco connection in Fireworks was unexpectedly surprising and patchouli is definitely there because Mr.T can't stand Angel (on anybody, not just me!) and his first reaction to Fireworks was "Oh no, not another Angel!".

I remember reading somewhere that all of the Sexiest Fantasies are PdC's take on Victoria Secret's scents, "our version" so to speak, but I cannot confirm or deny it as I am not a regular shopper at VS and not very familiar with their repertoire. However, I shop regularly at CVS!

Out of all Parfums de Coeur I liked Cotton Candy and sadly discontinued Basil-based scent with citrus (bergamot? lime?) opening and grassy green development.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Thank you!!!

I am not very proud of this win, since I only put the final touch on a work done by mike - especially - and p-bird.
But I guess I am allowed to put the cherry on the cake baked by my fellow guessers today

And thanks to sample A I discovered a line which is completely new to me! I must confess I never thought this body spray would be so inexpensive....how do the guys at PdC do it???

Last edited by Lady_in_Black; 15th March 2009 at 10:59 AM.

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Sniffing aroundI'll stop wearing black when they make something darker

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Happy Birthday, LIB!
And congratulations.
Sure, it involved teamwork, but that's what this "contest" is about.
Unless one of us identifies a sample correctly, by smell, right from the start, the correct guess will always be built upon hints and guesses.
......................

Now for Sample B. I'll start the comments.
This is a clear-colored, thin liquid, not an oil.
Its character is transparent, woody, fruity, and clean.
It opens with a big cedar note, or some similar aromatic wood on top. It is quite airy and fresh-smelling. Maybe there is some pepper, too, because it has a dry woodiness, and heat. Perhaps an odd note exists, like pimento, because there also is a certain tanginess. The only similarity I can see to the previous sample is that there is fruit in this one, too. In no way is it creamy and sweet like Sample A.
What fruit? I do not know. Due to the sweet-sour aroma, I would have to guess some citrus or a tart fruit like apricot.
I'm going to conjecture that Sample B comes from the niche house because it is way more challenging than the average fragrance.
The jury's still out on longevity, but I would venture to say that this one won't last long on me due to its transparent nature. The cedar will hold out, but there is nothing providing a deep, earthy, smooth, sweet base--no moist patchouli and labdanum combo--probably only clear musk. This baby's woody and bright.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Yeah, they named plump wild strawberries, succulent peaches (I HAVE to agree with LIB that they are more of pineapple quality) and vanilla (where is vanilla? What type of vanilla?) no less than Fireworks. No fire or any other burnt matter to my nose at all!

On to Sample B:
-- what type of cedar? Does it create a dill pickle note on your skin?
-- Tart and sweet? At the same time or in any particular order? Any florals? Can apricots be osmanthus? Or, sweet irises? Or, sweet roses? Or any other flower of your chemistry's choice?
-- linear? Does it change at all during the wear?
-- What's the base like?
-- Does its transparency become muted/powdery or does it stay clear the whole duration?
-- Any other scents it reminds you of?
-- Images?
-- it has some sort of tint, can you put it against the white sheet of paper and turn the light on? Results?
-- Why do you think I chose it to be included in this round?

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Onto B:

-- I like the aromatic character of the top notes (do I smell basil or something cilantro-ish?) and also the fact that this smells entirely unisex. It has a salty aspect that I personally love in scents (think Eau des Merveilles by Hermes) - is it ambergris? I also get the pimento accord - but is perhaps not pimento and instead saffron? What is the floral that I smell? Water lily? Narcissus?
-- I'd classify this as a fresh / aromatic fragrance
-- I don't think this is as cedar prominent as purplebird does - however I've been known to not smell cedar in certain fragrances before
-- I just put it on, I have to report back later on sillage, longevity, etc
-- The juice is a clear, almost translucent honey color - seems EdT in concentration
-- It reminds me of something Mediterranean - maybe a bit of Green, green, green & green #3 by Miller et Bertaux with a dash of something salty. It smells like something that is NOT recently released - it might've been released between 5-10 years ago?? It smells very unisex - I'd be surprised if it was a woman's fragrance.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Colour: very, very light golden
Concentration/quality: more oily residue on skin than sample A, an EdT of high quality, probably niche and a relatively recent release (after 2000)

To my nose, the opening it smells very strongly of white pepper and green peppers and tickles my nose. Unlike Purplebird, I don't smell any cedarwood in here , but a certain creaminess in the heart that leads me to believe it's a lighter, less fragrant wood. It is also slightly floral, I'd say I smell orris (although it's not powdery in the least), but then it takes on a honeyed aspect - I agree with mike, this could be either narcissus or even linden flower (!).

The fragrance gives a very light and smooth impression, also the spicy notes are painted in watercolour.

Last edited by Lady_in_Black; 15th March 2009 at 07:56 PM.

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Sniffing aroundI'll stop wearing black when they make something darker

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

No, but there is certain sweetness and a different take on rose in B. Do you think JC Ellena might be a nose? Why?

Back to your initial impressions, Mike: What is so Mediterranean about it? Citrus (what citrus) +woods? A combination of citrus+ green notes + woods? Again, what woods are they?

Would you guys care to wear it in public? Whenever I do, I never fail to get compliments from strangers, BTW.

Is it run-of-the-mill, or unusual? Any other scents it reminds you of (besides Green, Green, Green and Green)?

Mike, in the beginning I get the same bitter-salty note that sometimes opens up as dill pickles on me, but luckily it lasts just about 10 minutes and does not bother me for the rest of fragrance duration.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

I think I am calling it Mediterranean because it has a hint of fig (I think) to it. Do I smell grapefruit (for a second) in the top notes? Woods...I'm having a hard time detecting the woods...if I had to say one I'd go with purplebird's cedar. I could see how Ellena could be the nose for this - it's structure reminds me of his treatment he did for the flanker of 24 Faubourg, 24 Faubourg Eau Delicate that has a hushed but pulsating jasmine heart underneath a salty, aromatic base.

Oh yes I would wear this in public. Ray loved it when I made him smell me. He said it smelled like something from Ralph Lauren (?).

It reminds me of Un Jardin Mediteranee by Hermes and a bit like a moss extrait (sorry...I can't remember the name?) that Ruggles sent me a sample of last year.

It is not run-of-the-mill.

The salty smell I described is not dill pickle oriented, it's much more ambregris based. I actually like it and think it enhances the scent well.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

twolf has mentioned in the past that cedar comes off as having a dill pickle smell to her so since she has mentioned that again I'm going to go with cedar as the dominant wood note here.
to the sniffers how dominant is the cedar is it there from beginning to end?
The grapefruit cedar top has me thinking if it is indeed a true grapefruit cedar top to this.
Sniffers help me out.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

I had a busy day yesterday and only got around to reading everybody's comments this morning. I'll go back to the proverbial drawing board and consider Sample B again and post some more thoughts after work.

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Orris, green, fig?, citrus/grapefruit? Hmm is it Aqua Allegoria Figue-Iris or if not if you've smelled that how is it different?

I own Figue Iris and to my nose Sample B is not even distantly related. Figue Iris is much sweeter and reminiscent of fig pulp. I do not smell fig - either wood or leaves or fruit - in sample B, and the iris/orris is not as powdery as in Figue Iris.

Originally Posted by Somerville Metro Man

twolf has mentioned in the past that cedar comes off as having a dill pickle smell to her so since she has mentioned that again I'm going to go with cedar as the dominant wood note here.
to the sniffers how dominant is the cedar is it there from beginning to end?
The grapefruit cedar top has me thinking if it is indeed a true grapefruit cedar top to this.
Sniffers help me out.

SMM, cedarwood isn't evident to my nose, at least not in the way it is treated in smells where I normally recognise cedarwood. What is very prominent to me is a white pepper note (as in spice) mixed with a green note (reminds me of green peppers, as in vegetables). There COULD be also a second spice in there. Or what I perceive as green peppers could be the dill pickle note

The scent is dry/green/spicy in the opening, but it dries down to a distinct honeyed and floral note.

Last edited by Lady_in_Black; 16th March 2009 at 04:41 PM.

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Sniffing aroundI'll stop wearing black when they make something darker

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Plagued by the thought that I must be missing something, I put the contents of the vial into a small atomiser. Woah! What a difference....I now smell grapefruit zest in the opening, the green smell is not so reminiscent of green peppers any more, but of MINT and a somewhat mineral note added itself to the group of top notes.

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Sniffing aroundI'll stop wearing black when they make something darker

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

SMM, nope, I don't think it is Terre (also because Hellena isn't supposed to be the nose of Sample B), but you're righ - the grapefruit/mineral note combo led me back to Terre for a second. Now that I think of it, grapefruit peel has suplhur in it, so it may be the origin for that small mineral note I smelled.
The drydown is more sandalwood than cedarwood to me nose.
My brain cells are on override because I cannot find a connection between this scent and the theme of this round

I also came to the conclusion that Sample B smells like a cross between Poivre Piquant and Santal Blanc

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Sniffing aroundI'll stop wearing black when they make something darker

Re: 3x3 Blind Sniff Round 1 "Cuckoo for Coco"

Maybe all the scents are supposed to make you "cuckoo" looking "for coco".
since the first scent had a "phantom chocolate note" could all of them have the same.
Although I just realized the "co" could be coeur from Scent A